REDUCTION OF SOX EMISSIONS IN CEMENT INDUSTRY

In the cement industry emissions of sulfur oxides, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and water are inherent in the manufacturing process. However, there are limits to the SOx and NOx emissions, the inhalation of such substances entails risks to human health and their interaction with the atmosphere results in the formation of sulfuric acid and nitric acid, causing acid rain. These emission limits are even more severe when there is co-processing in the production process. SOx emissions can be formed from burning fuel or be present in the raw material used. The presence of sulfur compounds in the raw material has a great impact on the cement industry due to the large amount of limestone used in the process, especially when the deposits have high content of pyrite (FeS2). One of the barriers encountered in the process of environmental licensing of co-processing is the high level of emission of SOx. To decrease these emissions and enable the co-processing in a cement industry tests were performed to decrease SOx emissions using abatement with lime (CaO). Varying conditions of the manufacturing process it was possible to obtain a reduction of up to 90% of emissions of SOx With the implementation of this technique SOx emissions reached values that meet the legal limits and enable the start of the co-processing in industry.